History of Pilates

History of Pilates

“Contrology”: The History of Joseph Pilates and his Method of Body Conditioning

“Time and progress are synonymous terms – nothing can stop either. Truth will prevail and that is why I know my teachings will reach the masses and finally be adopted as universal.” Joseph H. Pilates

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in 1880. While growing up in Germany, Pilates experienced various ailments and illnesses including rickets and asthma. In hope of defeating these physical barriers, Pilates developed his body and soon became an avid gymnast, diver, and boxer.

In 1914, Pilates was interned in England during WWI. Pilates, while working with wounded soldiers, developed a system of exercises that even the bedridden could perform. His method of body conditioning was intended to strengthen and improve the flexibility of muscles, emphasizing the abdominals and muscles in the back. Over the years, Pilates developed several pieces of equipment that used springs to create resistance and condition the muscles. The most widely used pieces of equipment include the “Reformer,” the “Cadillac,” and the “Wunda Chair.”

Joseph Pilates and his wife, Clara, moved to the US in the mid-1920s and opened a studio in which he taught his method of body conditioning. Pilates’ method was widely accepted and used within the New York City dance community and soon spread to the general public. This method he called “Contrology,” emphasizing the amount of control needed to execute the exercises. Pilates promoted his method so that it would be a universal system of exercise for all to benefit from. Joseph Pilates died in 1967.

Many of Pilates’ students became instructors themselves, including Naja Corey, Eve Gentry, Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Bruce King, Bob Steed, Carola Trier, and Romana Kryzanowska. Lesa McLaughlin, the owner of Excel Pilates DC is the second generation of Pilates instructors and was a pupil of Romana Kryzanowska, master teacher.

Today, the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning is taught worldwide, as the legacy of Joseph Pilates lives on.

Our Commitment to the Original Pilates Method

Our principal goal is to empower all participants in the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning to be in control of their own health and well-being, and to provide a supportive atmosphere in which clients may grow, learn and be guided toward a fitter lifestyle. We are strongly committed to the power and depth of the original Pilates Method of Body Conditioning, a highly evolved and in-depth program that originated from the work of Joseph H. Pilates. Our teachers have the highest level of qualification and are enthusiastic people dedicated to health and wellness.

Our fully certified teachers have fulfilled a minimum of 700 hours of active training in all apparatus and mat work, seminars, and apprentice teaching. In addition to regular study, our teachers also fulfill 16 hours of continuing education annually. We strive to share with and inform clients of the power of the original Pilates Method by offering apparatus and mat sessions at an affordable rate, with experienced professional teachers in a safe environment.

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About Us

Excel Pilates DC, established in 1998, located in the
Brookland neighborhood is fully equipped
Pilates Studio with Reformers, Wall Units, Chairs, Barrels, Cadillacs and mat classes. Excel Pilates DC is the Pilates studio of choice for many residents of Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Our clients range in age from 16 – 80 years old and include all levels of fitness. Our fully certified teachers are committed to teaching quality sessions in the original Pilates Method of Body Conditioning, in an empowering and non-competitive environment.